User menu

'No Drones Allowed'

Hobbyist/consumer drones are a rapidly exanding field of technology with a range of commerical and hobbyist applications, however there is a potentially darker side to their use. Millions of drones have been sold to civilian buyers, raising fears over the associated risk of accidental and non-accidental damage. The threat posed by drones to commercial aircraft and the potential for would-be terrorists to convert them into 'flying bombs' is becoming a major concern of governments worldwide.

'Droneshield' is one Australian company's answer to the risk of drones being used dangerously or inappropriately. Ground-based sensors detect the sound made by a drone from a kilometre away, then a jammer is used to demobilise the drone, land it, or send to back to its point of origin. The system can be setup to monitor airspace around restricted or protected areas. So far it looks like a pretty labour intensive exercise but it is interesting technology.

In a far less technological but greatly more entertaining counter-drone measure, the Dutch police have trained an eagle to take drones from out of the sky. It's probably not something that's going to catch on globally but the video is pretty cool.

It's hard to say how hobbyist drone use will be controlled in future – or whether it even can be – but we're pretty sure that it will be an interesting area to follow.